


Back in Chicago

by chantalis



Series: Jay Halstead x Reader [2]
Category: Chicago Med, Chicago PD (TV)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Daddy Issues, Ethan isn't actually OOC in this, F/M, Family Fluff, Protective Ethan, he can be pretty obtuse in the show
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-26
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:47:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27205438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chantalis/pseuds/chantalis
Summary: You return from working abroad, and start developing two relationships. One with charming Jay Halstead, the other with your estranged dad... Who doesn't really like Jay and has a baby on the way with a woman not much older than you. This should be interesting.
Relationships: Ethan Choi/April Sexton, Ethan Choi/DaughterReader, Jay Halstead/Reader
Series: Jay Halstead x Reader [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1986109
Comments: 5
Kudos: 15





	1. 1

I let out a nervous breath as I stood outside of Gaffney hospital. I hadn’t been back to Chicago in two years. I left after getting my nursing degree I applied to be a travel nurse with an agency that supplied nurses to medical facilities in need. It was amazing I spent two years travelling and helping in a new region of the world every four months. It was the best decision that I made and I was confident of that. My dad, however, was not. He got incredibly upset and went as far as trying to forbid me from taking the job, his protests were quickly shut down by my moms who both reminded him that I was a grown adult who could make my own decisions.

As a result, I haven’t spoken to my dad in over two years. Now, I am here standing outside of his workplace. Taking a deep breath I walk through the doors to the ED. Walking up to the front desk, I gain the attention of a nurse sitting at a computer. “Hi, I’m here to see Dr. Ethan Choi when he has a free moment? My name is (Y/N) Choi.” After I told the nurse my name I saw her eyebrows rise in surprise at my last name, “Sure, please take a seat.” I watched the nurse scamper off behind another set of sliding doors before taking a seat. I pull out my favourite book, knowing that I could be here a while. Whether that's because he is busy or because he’s making me wait him out for going against his wishes. Moments after I had read through the first paragraph I hear, “(Y/N)?” Looking up I see my dad. “Hi, dad.” He’s standing a few feet away, looking at me tentatively. Walking up to him is nerve-racking. I’m engulfed in his arms before I can say anything else. “I missed you, dad,” I say, choking up a bit. “I was so worried that you’d still be angry.”

“No... Not angry, worried yes, but uh, not angry. How are you? When did get back? Are you already staying somewhere or not?”

“I got back a couple of hours ago and came here.”

“You came straight here? To see me?” He asked quietly, his dark eyes showed how much he hoped that was the case. “Yeah. Well, I’ve been talking to moms with my satellite phone when I could... And I’ve been sending you postcards, but I don’t even know if you live at the same address or if you were just throwing them away once-”

“I didn’t throw them away. I would never have thrown them away.”

I breathed a huge sigh of relief. “I know that you’re working, so when do you get off? Maybe we can go get some dinner?” Dad smiled. “That sounds like a great idea. My shift ends in three hours. Maybe you can meet me at your mom’s restaurant and we can have a family dinner?”  
“Sounds like a plan.”

“Dr. Choi? Is everything alright?” A professional-looking woman with her hands held together delicately in front of her asked. “Yes Ms. Goodwin, I was just reuniting with my daughter (Y/N). I haven’t seen her in two years because she’s been working abroad.”

“Oh, well, hello (Y/N), it’s very nice to meet you, but Dr. Choi you need to head back to your patient.” She said while smiling and tilting her head sympathetically. “Of course, (Y/N), I’ll see you later.” He kissed the top of your head before walking through the sliding doors, back to work. “I hope you enjoy being back in Chicago.” 

“Thank you, Ms. Goodwin. I should get going but I hope you have a nice day.” We go our separate ways, me walking out the door. I took a giddy breath. I had been so afraid that he would still be angry. I am not even five minutes away before I hear gunshots.

Instantly I dropped to the ground and hid behind a cement tree planter. Looking in front of me I realize that I hid on the wrong side of the planter, as there are two groups of young men shooting each other in the middle of the road right in front of me. Fuck. While taking slow breaths I try to slowly scoot to the side of the planter that’s farther from the men so that I’ll at least have some cover from the men and their weapons before moving to the back. I managed to make it halfway behind the side of the planter I hear sirens. Oh, thank goodness. I have made it to the back of the planter when the cops arrive. Two teams park their cars in my line of sight and, strangely, none of the four are wearing the usual CPD uniforms. The vests and badges are there though. One of them, a blonde woman, notices me. I give her a thumbs up to let her know I’m fine. After nodding slightly she turns back to the action. 

It takes ten minutes for things to go to hell. The shooters have dispersed and are running in multiple directions, causing the police officers to give chase. One man rushes past me as he’s evading police throwing the gun behind him, most likely trying to throw it on the ground. Instead, it hits me in the eye. The cop who had been chasing him (tall, white, brown hair) tackled him, but the shooter really didn’t want to get arrested, because he was able to flip himself and the cop over and start a fistfight. I place my left foot on the gun that was thrown. I didn’t want to touch it but I didn’t want to leave it out in the open either. In another attempt to get away the shooter elbows the cop in the gut and moves to run back around the planter. Before I could register what I was doing I had scooted over so that I could kick him. While I aimed for the shin, I ended up hitting him much higher. I watched as he fell, double over in pain, his hands clutching his crotch. The cop, clearly still in pain from the fight, made his way over to arrest the still groaning and doubled over shooter. He chuckled, “You really did a number on him.”

You were sitting in the ED, your frazzled dad had left the room to call your moms and let them know what happened. The curtain opens and in walks in, not Dr. Rhodes, but the cop who you helped catch a shooter. “Hi, I’m detective Jay Halstead. I just wanted to stop in to see how you were doing, and thank you for your help.”

“Hi, I’m (Y/N) Choi, and it was no problem.” 

“Wait, Choi as in Dr. Ethan Choi?”

“Yeah, he and my mom dated in high school, created me, and then split up when he went into the military. Boy was he surprised when he came back and found out my mom was in a very committed relationship with a woman. Sorry, I just realized that I’m rambling.”

“No apologies necessary, it was nice to hear about something that didn’t involve bullets today. You didn’t answer my question though, how are you?”

“Well, I have to stay for twenty-four hours for them to monitor my eye. The gun scratched my cornea, and since that could result in an infection or blindness, so, yeah. I have to stay here for twenty-four hours with tape over my injured eye.”

“That sucks.”

“Could be worse.” 

Jay and I talked for a long time, introducing ourselves and talking about our lives. Jay with his experience in the military and the intelligence unit, and me with being a travel nurse.

“-And then she went into labour! I have to say it was the most stressful thing I’ve ever had to do because we were the only ones in the clinic besides her five-year-old son because the storm had gotten horrendous while everyone was out on a trauma call and the clinic was just so understaffed. It took eight hours but she had a healthy baby and survived the birth which was just amazing and-”

“(Y/N)?” My moms and dad walked into the room to see you speaking with a handsome stranger.

“Detective Halstead.” My dad says in his ‘I was in the military and can kick your ass’ voice. “Are you here collecting a witness report?” Jay’s posture immediately straightened. “No, just checking on the woman to helped catch a dangerous suspect.” Your dad gave a non-committal sound and continued to stare Jay down. “Well, I guess I had better get going. Here’s my card, call me if you need help, to report a crime, or want to get dinner? I hope I’ll see you later.”

“You will,” I responded smiling brightly, completely ignoring my moms' giggling and dad glaring.


	2. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You move out.

You’d stayed with your moms for a couple of nights, but things were pretty crowded because they’d decided to foster a set of twins who’d been in the system since birth. They had physical, mental, and emotional health problems that they didn’t deserve and needed attention. So, until you had your life sorted out, you were living with your dad. It had its perks, you got to make up for lost time, meet- and hear- his girlfriend April Sexton. She was wonderful, a strong intelligent woman who loved your dad dearly. Initially, she had been nervous around you, trying to find ways to get you to approve of her. After a week of stuttering, nervous faces at breakfast, and jumping apart whenever you entered the room, you’d had enough. “Hey, April, can I talk to you?” She froze. The look on her face was one of sheer terror and you didn’t quite know how to feel about causing her to have that reaction. On the one hand, it meant that I meant a lot to my dad, on the other hand, I felt so damn awful that she looked like I had just brutally murdered a litter of puppies in front of her. “Is everything alright? Is there anything that I can do to-”

“Okay, that’s it. I am sick of this. You look terrified of me all the time! Everyone talks about how amazing and badass you are and I don’t get to see that side of you-”

“Y/N-”

“No. Let me finish. You are amazing. You make my dad so happy, and that’s all that I want for him. I want to get to know you too so that I can truly feel like you are apart of the family.”

“Really? You approve of me dating your dad? I mean, I’m only a few years older than you and a lot younger than your dad, I mean, isn’t it weird for you?”

“Ha, I’m a prom night baby who grew up with two moms, a military dad, and a gender-fluid bisexual grandma, I grew up with ‘strange’ and I love it, just like I’ll love my brother or sister. Plus, like I said, as long as dad’s happy so am I. And as long as you’re not evil, like a serial killer or something.”

“Haha, no, definitely not a serial killer. But that is a huge relief. I really do love your dad so much. There, uh, is something that I need to tell you though. I’m pregnant.”

“Wow, really? That’s great! How are you feeling?”

“You’re okay with this?”

“My moms are thinking about adopting the twins, who are in their pre-teens. Sure there’s a large age gap between me the twins, and your baby, but that’s ok. I’ll still get to be a big sister, and since I’m so much older, they can’t take my stuff.” I chuckled, I’d heard from friends that having sisters around your age was rough, so I was glad that I wasn’t having to deal with that. April gave a weak smile, but she still looked nervous, I stepped forward and gave her a hug. “I want you to know that I’m here for you. I’ll support and help with whatever you want and need. Probably starting with moving out. I’ve already found an apartment and a job, I’m moving out this week, I told dad earlier. So, I can get out of your hair and come over to help when needed.”

“What? You can stay longer Y/N, your dad’s really enjoyed having you here, I don’t want you to feel like you have to leave.”

“I don’t, it’s just that I’m gonna need some space, and you’re gonna need the guest room for the baby. Like I said, I’ll come over if you need me. The job I’ve taken is in a private practice, so there are more regular hours. Why don’t we go out for lunch, just the two of us? To hang out and get to know each other better.”

“That sounds like a great idea. I’ve been craving ravioli like you wouldn’t believe.”

“Ha, I know just the place.”

You and April were sitting in your favourite Italian place, dipping bread into oil after ordering. “This is how you know that an Italian place is good, isn’t it? When they give you bread and fancy oil on a small plate.”

“Yeah, I guess. How far along are you, April?”

“Three months.”

“Wow, how are you feeling?”

“Tired, sore and nauseous. Just how you’d expect any pregnant woman to feel, I guess.”

“Not that there was anything wrong with you telling me, but why didn’t my dad do it?”

“He’s been a nervous wreck, didn’t know how you were going to react. You mean a lot to him, a lot more than he lets on. You guys had spent so long not communicating, and he’s just afraid to lose that. He loves you so much.”

“He loves you too, you know. He talks about you all the time, he lights up whenever you walk into a room, and I know that he thinks you’re incredibly intelligent and admires that about you. I am so happy for the both of you.”

“Thanks.”

“No, I should be thanking you. My dad has always been kind of alone, and I worried a lot about him growing up because of it. It’s because he’s got this idea in his head that he isn’t good enough. He ends up pushing people away and sometimes acts like a douche, which he told me he acted like that towards you. Which is part of why I like you, you love each other, and when my dad shoves his head up his ass, you don’t run, or sympathize, you tell him to cut the crap and communicate the issue properly so that it can be appropriately dealt with.” April’s eyes were misting over, and she put her hand over her mouth. You reached out and grabbed her other hand, squeezing gently. Taking a deep breath, April moved her hand and smiled. “Alright ladies, here’s your food. Now, who had the ravioli?” April giggled and raised her hand sheepishly. Food in front of you, the conversation turned to something lighter.

“I’ve been catching up on the ‘Fantastic Beasts’ books, I’d been busy so I just hadn’t read any of them, but they’re really good.”

“We had this one patient in ED who came in because he thought his arm was severed when really it just got caught in his shirt when he tried to get dressed after getting completely wasted and streaking through a park.”

“Despite having lived in Chicago basically my whole life, I’d never been to the aquarium. So a couple of days ago Jay and I went and there was this-”

“Wait, you went on a date with Detective Jay Halstead and you’re only bringing this up now?”

“It wasn’t a date. It was just us hanging out.”

“Ha! You two ‘just hanging out’! That’s gold, you two have so much chemistry. Other nurses and doctors were talking about it the entire time you guys were in your room together. Will, Jay’s brother, was excited for both of you, but Ethan spent two days fuming because of it! He’s still grumpy about it with Will. Are you hanging out with him anytime soon?”

“Later today, when I will move all of my stuff into my new apartment.”

“... I’m sorry, what? He’s helping you move? Today? Don’t you think that’s moving a little fast?”

“I told you, we’re not dating. He has a truck and I need a way to move all of my stuff. We get along and stuff, so it just seemed like a good idea. My dad’s going to flip his lid, isn’t he?”

“He definitely is, but I’ll see if I can help you to minimize it.”

“Thanks. I don’t want to disappoint him.”

“I don’t think that there is anything you could do to make your dad disappointed in you.” You sighed and gave April a weak smile, as thanks for her encouraging words.

When your dad got home from work, the living room was hosting your boxes and bags. When you were going abroad you decided to do a major purge of things and clothes, and you didn’t have any furniture, so all there was to move were two suitcases, a large hiking backpack, and four boxes. “Hey, what’s going on, are you moving into the new place today? You know that you can stay longer, right?”

“Yeah, I know, dad, but I want my space, plus you’ll need more room with a baby on the way.”

“April told you? I’m so sorry-”

“For what? Giving me a younger sibling to love? C’mon, dad, I’m really happy for you, and April is amazing. I’m moving out because I’m an adult and more than capable of taking care of myself, besides, the place I’m moving to is a ten-minute walk, we’ll still be able to see each other. What if we have family dinners or game nights or something?”

“That sounds like a great idea. Your new roommate is coming to help you move, right? And speaking of, why aren’t you living on your own?”

“Well, it’s cheaper for one, also, the apartment was her place first so, yeah. So, I kinda have to live with her if I want to live in the amazing apartment. And she is going to help me unpack, but someone else is helping me move. He should be here soon.”

“Is your roommate anyone I know?” 

“Yes. I’m moving in with Sylvie Brett.”

“And the ‘he’ helping you move, do I know him?” You could tell from the look in his eye that he already had an idea of who he might be, but wanted to be wrong. Your dad took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Jay Halstead”

“Why? Why him?”

“He has a truck and we get along.”

“What do you mean you ‘get along’, have you been seeing him?”

“Not romantically, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“Yes, that’s what I’m worried about! The way you guys were interacting... I saw how you looked at each other. If you wanted to I think you two could really be something.”

“Then why are you so against it?”

“Well, I could say that it’s because he’s a cop and you’ll either be in danger because of him. Or you’ll be worrying about him day and night. Or it could be because he is still in love with the ex who just up and left him. Or I could be honest and say that I’m not ready for this. I feel like I’ve missed out on so much of your life sometimes and I just want to be around you more. I just realized that you’re attracted to men and someday I won’t be the most important man in your life. I don’t want that day to come ever, honestly, but, if it has to happen, can it not be so soon?”

“That’s not how life works, dad. And like I said, I’m moving really close by and we can start family nights. Just... please don’t hate me.” He sighed. “I could never hate you. Ever. I love you so much.” You clung to each other, neither wanting to let go. You both stood there for several minutes when your phone pinged from on top of a box. You both separated, your dad kissing your hair. You checked your phone. “It’s him, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, he’s downstairs.”

“I’ll buzz him up.” It was only a minute or so before you heard a knock on the door. Your dad moved from the wall he was leaning on, and sighed, taking one last look at you before answering the door. “Detective Halstead.”

“Dr. Choi.” Your dad was still blocking the doorway so that Jay couldn’t get in. “Dad?” He sighed again. “Come on in.” He moved out of the doorway, letting Jay inside. He went straight for you pulling you into an embrace. “Hey, how are you? Are you ready to move?” You looked at your dad, who had a look of acceptance in his eyes. You smiled. “Yes. I am.”


	3. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> April goes into labour.

Six Months After You Moved In With Sylvie

There was a knock at the door. You frowned, it couldn’t be Sylvie because she was on a 24-hour shift, and the only person you were expecting was Jay, but not for another forty-five minutes. You finished getting dressed and went to open the door. “Dad, hi. What are you doing here? Not that I mind I’m just curious.”

“April’s mad at me.”

“Ah. That explains it. Come on in.”

“Thanks.”

“So, why is she mad at you?”

“Her back is really sore and I’m the one who got her pregnant, so... Yeah. Hey Y/N? Are you expecting someone?” He was gesturing at your outfit, the low lighting, and the spotlessness of your and Sylvie’s apartment. It’s not that either of you are slobs, it was just that you weren’t neat freaks either and your apartment always felt homey and lived-in as a result. He looked both curious and nervous, most likely having already come to the correct conclusion. “Jay’s coming over in a half an hour, for a date. Our sixth date.”

“Sixth?”

“Yeah...”

“You told me that you were dating someone, I just didn’t know it was Jay. I mean I suspected it was him but...”

“You’re still worried about me dating him.”

“Yeah.”

You sighed and went back to the stove, you were making your mom’s famous bibimbap, hoping that Jay would like it. You sighed as you cut up some vegetables to go on top of the rice. “Look, Dad, I’m really excited for this date. Jay’s been working long hours and I haven’t seen much of him... Would you mind hanging out in my room until it’s over?”

“I guess so. I love you, sweetheart.” He kissed your cheek and made his way with his duffle bag to your bedroom.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jay showed up on time, with your favourite flowers. He’d loved the bibimbap you made and you two were sitting on the couch nursing glasses of wine. “... And then I jumped out and screamed ‘boo!’ right before he could sit down on his bed. The mask really freaked him out because Will let out this ear-piercing shriek and practically jumped out of his skin! He wouldn’t speak to me for a few days after that, but it was really just a cover for the fact that he was planning to strike back.”

“Oh my god! That’s hilarious! It really doesn’t surprise me that you and your brother had prank wars, though.”

“Oh, they were legendary, even managed to drag Mouse into a few of them when we were back on leave.” Your hearty laughs were cut short when you realized Jay was looking at you with a soft intensity. He leaned forward and pushed some of your hair behind your ear. He moved close and asked in a quivering deep voice, “may I please kiss you?”

“Yes.” It started out slow and passionate but quickly sped up and became hot and heavy. Soon you were both standing up, removing each other’s clothes between kisses, moving together towards your bedroom. When Jay threw the door open, his button-up and tie had been removed, along with your blouse and bra. He was about to take off your skirt when the yelling started. “WHAT THE HELL?! HALSTEAD GET YOUR HANDS AND LIPS OFF OF MY DAUGHTER! Y/N WHERE ARE YOUR CLOTHES?!”

“Shit! I totally forgot!” Jay scrambled in front of you so that your dad wouldn’t see anything while you put on a t-shirt that was on top of your dresser. You turned around once you were decent. “Jay, I’m so sorry, April kicked him out for the night, he didn’t show up until a little while before our date, so I asked him to stay in here while it was happening. Crap. I’m so sorry, dad.” Jay kissed the top of your head. “Hey, no worries, it was an accident, this definitely makes an interesting story.”

“Yeah, I guess it does.”

“I’m going to let go of you and put my clothes back on before your dad kills me, I’ll be right back.” Once Jay left, you faced your dad. “Dad I’m so sorry-”

“Yeah, you better be.”

“What?”

“You heard me. Running around like some whore, dating and sleeping without my permission, you better be sorry.”

“Um, excuse me, but what on earth makes you think that I need your permission to do anything? I am an adult and a woman, not a child or piece of property. What makes you think that you can talk to me like that?”

“Damn, why am I always having this problem with women? Why are you fighting me on something you should already know and respect? First your mom, then April, now you? I mean honestly-”

“Ah, now I see it.”

“See what?”

“The real reason April kicked you out tonight. You tried to pull this sexist bullshit with her too, didn’t you?”

“It’s not my fault that she didn’t respect my decisions.”

“Jesus Christ, please tell me you didn’t try to guilt her into marriage again. You did, didn’t you dad?”

“There’s a reason tradition exists, there is a way things should always be done-”

“Tradition is just peer pressure from dead people.”

“Y/N Choi, I will not have this disrespect from-”

“Get out.”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me. Get out. You don’t own me, you can’t own me, just because I’m a woman doesn’t mean you get to have power over me, and I won’t accept this kind of treatment from you. Now grab your stuff and get out.”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Things with Jay were going really well. You were officially dating and neither of you could be happier. You helped and kept in regular contact with April, who had not only made up with your dad, but was nearing her due date. You hadn’t seen your dad in a while and you were fine with that, the way he treated you was unacceptable and Jay, who heard everything, agreed. The two of you were curled up on his couch watching ‘The Spy Who Dumped Me’ when you got a call from Maggie, who told you that April was going into labour and needed you down there stat. Jay leapt off the couch with you and drove you to the hospital. “If you guys want me around, or to get coffee, or food, or chase away people that aren’t wanted there, let me know. I love you.”

“I love you too.” You gave him a kiss goodbye, rushed through the doors, and didn’t stop running until you got to the maternity ward.


	4. 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You realize something.

April was napping (FINALLY) and you were with baby Caskata, being as quiet as possible. You had just changed her diaper and were now lying on the floor with her on your stomach. “I love you so much, my precious little sestra. Yes, I do, yes I do. You’re so cute and smol...”

“Am I interrupting?” Your dad was amused at the sight he was welcomed with when he came home. “... Hi dad. Do you want to get changed before taking your little one back?” The two of you were still on bad terms, he refused to admit that he was wrong, and you decided that you wouldn’t be the one to make amends, not this time.

He picked up Caskata and held her against his chest, smiling down at her, then looking at you as you retrieved your bag and coat from around the apartment. “Are you staying for dinner?”

“No, Jay and I are going to a Blackhawks game.”

“Oh. Are you meeting him there? Maybe you could come here after?” You sighed in exasperation as you got a text from Jay. “He’s downstairs in his truck, so I’m gonna get going.”

“Y/N-”

“You were in the wrong and you know it. You have to, and the only reason that I’ve been coming by is to help April and Caskata while you’re at work. You keep damaging our relationship and I keep coming back, I keep fixing it, and I’m done. What you said and what you did was not okay and I won’t pretend it was or coddle you any longer. If you want us to have a good father-daughter relationship you’re going to have to do the work this time, because I’m done being taken for granted.” You put on your jacket and walked out the door. You meant what you said. You were done making excuses for him. Done crawling back to him on your knees when you weren’t the one who was mistaken or wrong. You deserved better than him and damnit you were going to get it.


	5. 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jay gets stabbed. (Sorry, I'm really bad at summaries)

Heated sunrays irritated you awake. You hated closing the curtains before you went to bed, but hated waking up to the sun blasting you in the face, making you all hot and sweaty before the day had even begun. Your pillow vibrated and shook underneath your head, you noted that you probably fell asleep on your boyfriend’s chest instead of your pillow again, but couldn’t bring yourself to care. You knew how much he loved it. “Good morning gorgeous.”

“Flattery will not get me out of bed.”

“No, but the reminder that the sun is about to make it even hotter in here might.”

“... Fine. I’m getting up. You shower first, I’ll start breakfast.”

“Okay. Hey, I love you.” You smiled as he gave you a quick kiss. “I love you too.”

Once both of you were showered and sitting down to eat, you noticed that Jay really looked like he wanted to say something. And you had an inkling as to what it was about. “I’m not going to talk to my dad, Jay. I know that you think you’re what came between us, but that’s not true. He pulls this traditionalist sexist stuff on me all the time. I am always the one to apologize and mend our relationship, but not this time. I want to be on good terms with him so, so badly, but it will do nothing but coddle and enable him to keep up his behaviour. And I have gained too much self-respect to let that happen. I want Caskata to have it better than I did, and I’m going to do what I can to make it happen.”

“I know, I just don’t want you to regret it if something happens.”

“I appreciate that you’re thinking about me, and I get where you’re coming from, but I am really proud of myself. I have never stood up to him like this before, and I feel... Strong. Powerful. And it feels good.”

“It looks good too.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Work kept you busy, a steady stream of patients flittering into your schedule all day. Some needed to see you, some just needed you to do the pre-doctor questions and measurements. It was a nice change of pace, compared with what you were used to. Imagine working at the ED but in underdeveloped, overcrowded, underfunded, and understaffed hospitals and clinics. It was nice to get a doctor because they had a patient waiting for them, alive, as opposed to needing them to declare death. Still, you tensed and prepared for the worst when you were asked “Choi, get the doctor.” It didn’t have the same implications as it had at your previous jobs but you couldn’t just drop a reaction that had been ingrained in you. In the way you perceived your work. “Y/L/N, someone’s on the phone for you.”

“What? Who would call me here instead of my cell?”

“I don’t know, but can you make it quick and ask them not to do it again?”

“Sure thing. Hello?”

“Am I speaking to Y/N Choi?”

“Yes, who is this?”

“I am nurse Gertrude Marsh, I’m calling from the Gaffney medical centre, you are the emergency contact for detective Jay Halstead, correct?”

“Yes, oh my god, is he okay?”

“I cannot give out his condition over the phone, how long will it take you to get to the emergency department?”

“Twenty-five minutes.” You didn’t wait for a response, hung up, and ran to find your boss.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You weren’t sure how you did it, but you got to the ED in fifteen minutes rather than twenty-five. “My name is Y/N Choi, I’m here for Jay Halstead, I’m his girlfriend and emergency contact.”

“Doctor Bekker? She’s here.”

“I am doctor Ava Bekker, please come with me. Jay is in dire need of surgery but we need you to approve it.”

“What’s his condition?” 

“Minor concussion, a stab wound in his lower right abdomen, nicked his large intestine. The bleeding was expected to stop on its own and then we’d just stitch him up but it hasn’t, we suspect there’s more damage-”

“But you won’t be able to find the other source, or sources, of bleeding unless you operate. Do it. You have my consent.”

Then suddenly it was like Dr. Bekker had never been beside you in the first place, as she turned into a blonde blur giving orders and running to the OR. You managed to kiss Jay on the forehead before they took him away.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Will was also, understandably and visibly, distraught. You sat in the surgical waiting room, side by side. Natalie had come by with deli sandwiches and coffee when it became apparent that it would take a small army, or Maggie, to move either of you. The surgery wasn’t done. It was running longer than it should. Both you and Will knew it. You hadn’t gotten an update in a while, and you were trying not to think about the implications of that. 

Ava exited the surgical room and entered the waiting room, no longer in her surgical scrubs. “Y/N, Will. There were some complications, but Jay pulled through. We repaired all the damage. You both will be able to see him in two hours in post-op. I would recommend getting something to eat. I have it on good authority that you haven’t eaten since yesterday and if you don’t take care of yourselves now I’ll sick Maggie on you.” And with that, she turned on her heel and left the waiting room.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

You’d gone home quickly to shower and change before coming back, only killing half an hour. You sat in the waiting room again, alone this time, when your dad approached you. “Here. I know it’s junk food, but you need to eat something and nothing else was open this late.” He handed you a pizza box which undoubtedly contained a small deep-dish pizza. You took the box gingerly and placed it on the tray table next to you. “Y/N, I am sorry. You were right, I had no right to treat you, or any woman, that way. I was wrong. The way I have been behaving and acting just as wrong. I didn’t realize it until recently, but I felt entitled to your decisions, which isn’t okay. I shouldn’t have done that and I know that just saying ‘I’m sorry’ won’t fix everything. So I would like to earn your trust and affection back. If that’s okay with you, of course.”

“I would really like that dad. Though I wish I’d had a camera to record you saying you're wrong...”

“Haha, very funny.”

“Seriously? I had to get stabbed for you apologize to Y/N?”

“Jay! I’m so glad that you’re okay. How are you feeling?”

He chuckled and held your cheek gently “Like I just got stabbed and pushed down a flight of stairs.”

“Isn’t that what Sergeant Voight said what happened to you?”

“Yes dad, it is. He was trying to make a joke.”


End file.
